Knockdown egg or fruit carrier



(No Model.)

"T. s. FITCH.

KNOGKDOWN EGG OR-PRUIT CARRIER.

No. 503,313.. Patented Aug. 15, 1893.

InUEnTu 1 UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.-

THADDEUS S. FITCH, OF

ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

KNOCKDOWN EGG OR FRUIT CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,313, dated August15, 1893.

Application filed Dece ber 12, 1890. Serial No. 374,494. (No model-- T0on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THADDEUS SHELDON FITCH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Alameda, in the county of Alameda and Stateofflalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inKnockdown Egg or Fruit Carriers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of egg or fruit carriers in which thepockets for holding and carrying the eggs or fruit are cut in sectionsto form the pocket or holder.

It also relates to a novel means of constructing the pocket-carryingframe by which a knock-down tray is formed which can be returned to theproducer in a compact form to be refilled.

The nature of my said invention and the manner in which I proceed toconstruct and produce the same will be understood from the followingdescription in which the several parts in the accompanying drawings arerepresented by letters.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my egg and fruit carrier in position.Fig. 2 is a bottom View of the same in a knock-down position. Fig. 3 isatransverse vertical section taken through the center of the tray in anupside down position.

The material which I employ in constructing my egg and fruit-carryingtray is composed preferably of card-board A, rectangular in form, theinner face of which is lined with thin muslin B, such as cheese-cloth bypasting thereto. By this means when the board is slit and turned up inthe form of a tray the muslin will form flexible hinges and hold theparts in position. The muslin lining is not absolutely essential,however, as when the slits are not cut entirely through the board thematerial itself will be of sufficient tenacity to hold the sectionstogether for a time.

In practice longitudinal slits G C, are made with a knife along eachside of the inclined face of the board from end to end to form the sidepiecesO C and then the transverse slits D D, are made across the endsfrom side to side intersecting with and crossing the longitudinal slitsat right angles to form the end pieces D D". From the points 13" B",however, of the intersecting longitudinal. and transverse lines the cutsare clean through the board outwardly so that when the side-pieces G Care turned up these will carry the connected wing pieces, and when thelatter are bent inwardly at right angles upon that face of the board orbottom the wings will form a support and corners E E, of the tray. Theupper or outer edges of the four corner wings are cut away as at F F toform notches for the folding-parts; and also each of the four corners ofthe board or blank A are cut away as at G G, and extension or foldingflaps H H with folding notches I I, made by the slits .I J, parallelwith the slits or cuts D D. These flaps are folded overinteriorly downupon the wings E E and the inner face of the endpieces, and serve tokeep and bind the parts in place when folded by means of a pin or rivetK passing through the end-pieces and the inner-folded flaps, as shown.Each tray is provided with a suitable number of air inlets, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, to permit a free circulation of airaround the fruit held in the pockets.

The pockets of my egg or fruit carrier are constructed with differentlyformed arms or engaging parts; the construction of pockets shown at Lbeing preferable the retaining arms of which are cut through the upperface of the board and lining (when this is employed), in a spiral formwith a central hole or opening M, as shown, and the egg or fruit ispressed down upon the pocket sufiiciently far to hold and retain it, inwhich position the spiral arms will engage the product in an obliqueposition and not bear directly against the shield or skin and therebychafe or pierce the product to be transported.

The tray and contents are packed in boxes with edges in a downwardposition as shown in Fig. 1, and between each tray is placed the usualdiaphragm orseparating board. When the shipping point has been reachedthe contents of the pockets and pins are removed and the trays knockeddown flatwise, in which compact form they may be sent by mail, orotherwise, Without the boxes, to be refilled, and thereby the costinfreight of the returned empty boxes is saved; or the trays may beutilized by being kept intact and filled with fruit or other products,being used in a reverse position with the arms of the pockets pressedbackward flatwise on aplane with the bottom of the tray and reshipped topoints of shipment or other places desired, in the same boxes orpackages, and set up again for carrying fragile or other products thatmay become impaired by coming into contact with each other.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In egg and fruit carriers an inverted tray having pockets or cellsformed therein of spirally cut holders or retaining arms, as set forthand specified.

2. In an egg and fruit carrier an inverted tray having pockets or cellsformed therein of radially cut holders or retaining arms, as set forth.

3. The herein described tray blank A, having the side pieces C O thewings E, E, of less height than the side pieces O O the end pieces D Dhaving the notches G, G, at their outer corners, and. the folding flapsH, H, of less length than the end pieces D 'D all constructed andarranged substan- 4. The herein described tray blank A having its underside covered with muslin, and provided with pockets and air inlets, theside pieces (3*, (3*, the wings E, E, of less height than the sidepieces 0*, 0*, the end pieces D D having the notches G, G, at theirouter corners, and the folding flaps H, H, of less length than the endpieces D D all constructed substantially in the manner and for thepurpose set forth.

5. In a knock down carrier for eggs and fruit an inverted tray havingpockets or cells formed therein of spirally cut holding or retainingarms with a central hole or opening therein, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal.

TIIADDEUS S. FITCH.

Witnesses:

O. W. M. SMITH, CHAS. E. KELLY.

